The invention relates to marine drives and to marine vessel and drive combinations.
Marine drives as well as marine vessel and drive combinations are known in the prior art. The present invention arose during continuing development efforts directed to a marine drive for propelling a marine vessel, including a marine propulsion device extending from the vessel and having a water-engaging propulsor for propelling the vessel through a body of water, the marine drive having a first section mounted to the vessel, and a second section supporting the water-engaging propulsor for rotation. The invention also arose during continuing development efforts related to commonly owned: U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,581; U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,983; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/586,191, filed Oct. 25, 2006, a continuation-in-part of the '581 patent and a continuation-in-part of the '983 patent; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/677,720, filed Feb. 22, 2007, a continuation of the '581 patent; co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/754,387, filed May 29, 2007, a continuation-in-part of the '983 patent; all incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention also arose during continuing development efforts directed toward marine drives and toward marine vessel and drive combinations and toward protection of the marine drive and the marine vessel upon underwater impact against the marine drive.